Life Connections International 2nd Quarter 2013 Newsletter

May 18, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Dear Friends,

I pray that you and yours enjoyed a very blessed Easter season!  And I also pray that the power of our Lord’s resurrection be manifest in every aspect of your life.

It has been a busy season for Life Connections as we planned for and then facilitated a Pastors & Ministry Leaders Summit at the beautiful Salvation Army Camp in Malibu. Not only was it a refreshing time away from the daily routine of ministry, but it was also an excellent opportunity to connect with key leaders who have a heart for unity in the Body of Christ. Attendees were challenged to consider possible changes in ministry that could help bring about the fulfillment of Jesus’ prayer in John 17. They also had the opportunity to hear from others who are being used by the Lord to implement unity in their communities . . . men like Sam Gallucci of Kingdom Center Ministries in Ventura, CA (who addressed the group on the subject of “Unity: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”) and Lynn Cory, founder of Neighborhood Initiative which is based in the San Fernando Valley. Both of these men shared the impact that a united Body of Christ has had upon their respective communities.

The stories we hear of a united Church are pretty amazing. But they don’t need to be abstract stories told by someone else. Those stories could be our stories. All we need to do is step out of our comfort zones and make ourselves available for His use. What a difference it would make upon our neighborhoods if the Body of Christ were to unite as one!  It wouldn’t be easy, but it would be well worth the effort, and more importantly, it would truly bring glory to our Lord!

As I’ve said many times, our constant prayer at LCI is that we could be a catalyst for the unity that Jesus prayed for in the Garden. Thank you so much for supporting that efforts through your faithful donations and prayers. May we truly begin to see unity blossom in the Body of Christ . . . unity that would bring life to the nations!

 

El Salvador

We are planning our second trip to El Salvador from June 21st – 28th.  As in the past, we will be partnering with Aguas de Reposo in their ministry to the elderly pastors living in and around Santa Ana, El Salvador. Our plans include direct interaction with the pastors themselves as well as various work projects associated with the ministry.  In addition, we hope to be joining local evangelistic teams who target young people through both song and skits. It has been a long-standing goal of Aguas de Reposo to establish a bridge between the older and younger generations to “pass the torch” of the gospel message from one to the other, thereby fueling revival throughout their nation. There’s still time to join the team, so let us know if you are interested in coming along!

Japan

In May of 2012, LCI was honored to facilitate a trip to the tsunami-ravaged areas of northern Japan, and ever since the team’s return, we have felt the Lord urging us to plan a second trip.  Unfortunately, however, we lacked the commitment of a seasoned leader familiar with the Japanese culture. So, mindful of the Lord’s urging, but equally mindful of the importance of mature leadership, we began to pray. And I we are pleased to report that He has answered our prayers.  We were recently contacted by one the team leaders from our first trip who has offered to lead another team! Praise the Lord!

Our original plans had scheduled this second team to visit Japan in October of this year, however, we are postponing the trip until March or April of 2014. Please let us know if you are interested in joining our team!

Filed Under: Changing the World, Los Angeles Churches Unity Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Life Connections International 4th Quarter Newsletter

October 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Dear Friends,
I hope you enjoyed a wonderful summer!
At the Lennon house, we spent our summer months watching Rand grow and develop (which he is doing rather fast, I might add). He celebrated his first birthday in June and shortly thereafter went on his first family vacation to Catalina Island. And in between he spent countless hours turning the inside of our house upside down!
While enjoying time with my family in Catalina, I couldn’t help but recall the many times I visited the island with my Dad as a child. I remember chasing giant schools of Marlin in an old Boston Whaler, or the time we raced to cast our fishing lines as we tried to catch some huge yellow fin tuna. I also remember my dog Winston fighting with a Blue Shark that my Dad had landed in the boat, and then just enjoying some sandwiches after snorkeling and spear fishing. These are experiences I will never forget! But the time we spent was so much more than just a series of fun activities. I was spending quality time with my Dad as he invested himself into my life.
Now that I’m a dad myself, I am starting to realize how important it is to spend time with my son, because it is through my investment into his life that he will learn to love God, to love his neighbor, and to learn how God has gifted him with a specific role on this earth.
I share this personal note because we at LCI are sensing a real need to come alongside the next generation of Church leaders and help mentor them in whatever way we can. Through our partnership with Aquas de Reposo ministry in El Salvador, we have learned the true value of honoring those who have gone before us, and it is our hope (indeed, it is our prayer) that LCI can serve to bridge the generational gap that exists in the Church today, thereby bringing greater unity in the Body of Christ. Will you join us in that prayer?
As for upcoming activities, we are planning a return trip to El Salvador in December as we follow-up on connections we made last spring. We already have one trip in the planning stages for the Spring of 2013, and there is even talk of a second trip to Japan. If either of these trips are of interest to you, please let us know and we will be happy to include you in our plans.
As always, thank you for your constant prayers and support of Life Connections. We couldn’t do this ministry without you.
Bringing Life to the Nations!

Our First Bring Life Event!
On September 13th, Life Connections was pleased to help facilitate a gathering of pastors and ministry leaders at Bel Air Presbyterian Church for a conference entitled Neighborhood Initiative: Bringing Life to our Cities. The theme of the conference can best be described as “The WHOLE Church taking the WHOLE gospel to the WHOLE city, one neighborhood at a time.” Featured speakers included Dallas Willard, Pastor Jim Tolle, and Joni Erickson-Tada.
We are so pleased to report that over 120 attended our very first Bring Life Event. And some of those in attendance had come from as far away as Fresno, Visalia, Riverside, Laguna Beach, and San Diego.
Attendees received notebooks crammed with material to assist them in preparing members of their congregations to become ambassadors for Christ in their own neighborhoods through simple acts of love and kindness. And when multiple churches come together (as they have in the San Fernando Valley), the effect on the local community is compounded significantly. Life begins to flow as the Kingdom of God becomes manifest, and people begin giving their lives to Christ.
We were so pleased to have played a role in this conference, and discussions are already underway to have a second Bring Life conference aimed at the Spanish speaking community.

Filed Under: Changing the World Tagged With: ,

2nd Quarter Life Connections International Newsletter 2012

April 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Dear friends,

From March 8th through the 15th, LCI personnel joined with a larger team of individuals traveling to El Salvador for the purpose of learning more about Aguas de Reposo (“waters of rest” or “still waters”). The focus of this particular ministry is to care for and honor elderly Pastors and their wives. These are men and women who helped evangelize El Salvador decades ago, but are now either too old or too frail to continue their ministry. And to make matters worse, many of these elderly brothers and sisters must provide for their own needs using very limited resources. In a sense, they have become orphans, looked upon as having little or no remaining value. The ministry of Aguas de Reposo is committed to caring for these elderly saints by providing food and medical assistance. Eventually, the ministry intends to provide housing, allowing these pioneers of the Church to live out their final years with a sense of dignity and worth.
At first glance, Aguas de Reposo might not seem like the typical ministry partner for LCI, but the more we got involved, the more we were shown how God was using this ministry to build unity in the Church and to revive both El Salvador and Los Angeles. Keep in mind that Los Angeles represents the second largest concentration of Salvadoran people outside the nation of El Salvador itself, so whatever happens in El Salvador will no doubt have great impact on the City of Angels as well.
While enjoying the beauty of El Salvador and the hospitality of the people, we connected with local pastors, business leaders and government officials, sharing the both the vision of Aguas de Reposo and God’s heart for unity. And as we did, we were absolutely blown away by the presence of the Holy Spirit and the many other opportunities that opened up before us. Not only are we planning future trips in partnership with Aguas de Reposo, but God has also opened doors that might help sustain the LCI ministry.
We have returned home invigorated, excited about our new relationships, and looking forward to another trip El Salvador in the very near future.

Balance Life
We just completed our second Balance Life Event with local Pastors from the Los Angeles area. After a two-hour stand up paddle lesson, we enjoyed lunch at Duke’s in Malibu and a teaching by Jim Kermath of Quest Coaching. The focus of Jim’s teaching was on the cycle of personal renewal, a subject of great interest to the pastors. Not only were they refreshed physically, but they were challenged by Jim to make balance and personal renewal priorities in their lives.
From LCI’s perspective, one of the side benefits to these gatherings is the development of relationships between pastors and ministry leaders, thereby providing opportunity for shared ministry and the building up of unity within the Body of Christ.
What’s coming up?
Japan
Life Connections has been asked to facilitate several trips to the tsunami-devastated portions of northern Japan. The first trip is scheduled for May, with tree other trips to follow: two in July and one in either September or October.
It is our hope that these trips not only form spiritual bridges with those who have suffered so much since the quake and tsunamis of March 11, 2011, but that these trips will also become opportunities to build bridges across cultural divides here in the United States as well. We firmly believe that the Lord is showing us a model that will constructively serve those in need while bringing together portions of the Church that might not otherwise come into contact with one another.
National Day of Prayer
LCI will be coming alongside other churches and ministries to help facilitate a National Day of Prayer event scheduled for May 3rd at 7:30pm. As in past, this will be a time to focus our prayers on the entertainment industry as well as our city and nation. If you live in the LA area and would like to join us, the event will take place at the CBS Studio Center located at 4024 Radford Avenue, Studio City, CA, 91604.

Filed Under: Changing the World Tagged With: ,

First quarter Newsletter 2012

January 31, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Dear friends,
I pray this New Year finds you in good health, growing and maturing in the grace of God!
When writing to our brothers and sisters in Corinth, the Apostle Paul observed that . . .
“. . . God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.” – 1 Corinthians 12:18-20
Paul’s point in making reference to the human body was to draw an analogy for the purpose of teaching how believers are to function as the Body of Christ. Though we are all different and we all have different purposes, we need each other in order to function properly.
At LCI, one of our primary roles as a ministry is to help make connections that will enable healthy function within the Body of Christ. We do this by building bridges between leaders, churches, and ministries. We constantly interact with pastors and ministry leaders who have great dreams and vision, and in so doing, we have come to realize that those dreams and visions won’t be fully realized until those pastors and leaders connect with others who, though gifted differently, share the same dream.
By developing intentional relationships and working together, all of us will be able to step into the good works to which God is calling us. And at LCI, we are excited to be a part of what God is doing in our city as well as around the world. Your prayers and support are so vital to our work. Thank you for supporting our vision of bringing life to the nations!

El Salvador
LCI has recently partnered with Aguas de Reposa in the city of Santa Ana, El Salvador, and in March, we hope to take a team to scout out areas where we can each serve the other in this Central American country still ravaged from the effects of a civil war that spanned almost 20 years. As is common in many Latin American countries, the churches of El Salvador are unable to care for their elderly pastors. Aguas de Reposa is ministry that focuses attention on the need to care for and honor those that God sent to proclaim the gospel. Though no longer able to withstand the vigorous activities of daily ministry, these elderly saints still have much to give in the way of training and experience that would prove invaluable to the next generation of church leaders. Along with Spanish speaking leaders in Los Angeles, LCI is helping to develop programs that will sustain our elderly friends while training those who will soon bear their mantle. And in the process, unity is blossoming in both El Salvador and Los Angeles. We’re in the midst of planning our trip, so check our website regularly if you are interested in learning more.

Balance Life
We are very excited to launch a new arm of ministry at LCI that we are calling Balance Life. To put it as simply as we can, Balance Life is a life strategy that combines valuable teaching on core life principles, using both land and sea fitness activities such as stand up paddle. Through Balance Life Events, groups are empowered with tools that not only help them achieve a healthy perspective on life, balancing both the spiritual and the physical in a fun, casual environment.
We held our first event this past November, inviting 10 local pastors to stand up paddle and lunch, and in the few hours we were together, witnessed amazing connection between all those who attended. More of these events are already in the planning stages, so stay tuned for more details.

Tyler Lennon
President
Life Connections International
310-429-2058

Filed Under: Changing the World Tagged With: ,